From Comfort Blossoms Love
by Volfinator
Summary: Dimitri leaves with Tasha, he breaks Rose's heart. She refuses to leave her room until a certain Ivashkov convinces her to let him in and he comforts her and she sleeps better with him around. Could this blossom into something else or will Rose never be able to get over dimitri? Warning: possible but most likely lemons! and foul language ;)
1. Darkness

**Hi this is my first VA fanfic so just give it a go it may not be the best but it is not a fan fic based on lemons, it's got a plot and all so if you came here for just the lemons then sorry to disappoint you. I will put a warning up when there are lemons for those readers who would rather not read the lemons part which is understandable. Obviously nothing is mine except the plot so have fun reading! Review lovlies :) 3**

* * *

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

"Ugh" she groaned. Darned alarm. She was so not prepared to face the day yet.

Rose stretched out slowly, loving the blissful sensations she got from stretching out such tensed muscles. Reluctantly, she peeled the sheets back and lifted herself out of bed. Head spinning for a few seconds she then groggily made her way to the adjoining bathroom. She grabbed her tooth brush and looked up to examine the mess. She'd conjured of her hair while she was asleep, as she usually did every morning.

She was shocked at what she found. She had dark smear all down my cheeks with obvious, long dried, tear tracks and her hair, although still in its bun, was a knot and loose strands fell down at random as if she had been pulling at it.

Shit.

She suddenly remembered the events that took place yesterday which led to her running into her room, screaming and crying before eventually collapsing. My door was locked but she was sure she heard someone from the gang begging her to open up last night and tell them what was wrong.

"_I'm leaving Roza," Dimitri mumbled._

"_Y-y-y-you're… what?" she hissed._

"_I'm taking Tasha up on her offer, it's for the best. I'm sorry Roza but we can't have anything and we never will. I'm moving on, you should too, "he moved towards her. He took in her shocked and pained expression and started to reassure her, "Roza.." _

"_Don't, just don't!" she yelled at him. He flinched back in surprise. "Don't you dare call me that!You have no right to call me that. Don't you dare try to coddle me and reassure me with your I-love-you's and whatever else you were planning to say. You're nothing but a liar. You don't love me. Don't say that you do. You wouldn't know what love is if it kicked you in the balls and danced around you wearing cowboy boots! Y-y-you complete fucking moron. Don't- don't talk to me ever again," she yelled in agony. Tears sprung in her eyes and she crumbled. She came apart at the seams as much as she didn't want to do this in front of him. She fell to the ground._

"_Look Rosa I know that you are hurting but don't tell me that I don't know what love is. You are young. You think everyone you meet you are in love with. I know, I've been there myself when I was your age. But Roza wake up and take a look around you. This is wrong and my duty comes before my personal life. I wasn't going to say I love you. I care for you deeply but I can't let that happen anymore. I need you out of my life. You aren't healthy and you are doing damage to everything I've worked years to build. I'm sorry but this is good bye". _

_He tried to hug her but she flinched away from him as if his touch burnt her. So with anger and hurt in his eyes he left her. Kneeling on the floor with what was seemingly the world on her shoulders. _

With that memory came a fresh lash of pain. She felt it snake up her chest and into her throat. Her throat constricted and she clutched at her chest. She felt a sob make its way out of her mouth. Oh god, what was she doing. Her whole life was a mess. She didn't deserve this. She just wanted to be happy for once in her goddamn life. Mason had just been taken away for her and now this?

All the hurt and pain she had kept at bay, all the insecurity, worry, confusion, grief, depression and anxiety she kept at bay came rushing in all at once and it was all too much. She howled and beat her fists on her bed. _Why? Why her? Did she deserve this? Was she really just a stupid little teenage girl as Dimitri made her out to be? _She hurt so much, it consumed her being. She rampaged her room throwing everything and anything in sight. She heard shouting outside her room. As if distantly she heard Lissa, Adrian and even Christian begging her to open up, asking her what was wrong, pleading with her to open up to them.

Their voices taunted her even more. She didn't deserve friends, especially not ones like them. She felt horrible. She felt disgusting and used. Most of all, she didn't want to be alive. She burrowed under her blankets and cried for a long time. Eventually she passed out from pure emotional exhaustion.

Later, in the beginning of the evening she woke up. She could hear someone against her door, breathing heavily as if asleep. She felt touched that her friends were concerned for her and were taking it upon themselves to stand watch in case she emerged but unfortunately she had food, drinks and much more to keep her sustained in her room for quite a while. She wasn't going to face the outside world for a while, at least that's what she planned to do.

Drinks! She thought to herself.

She opened her tiny little mini fridge that every student got which was usually stocked with water but she remembered that before they left Mason had given her some wine and some vodka as well as beers for which she was now thankful. She cracked open the vodka. She needed something sharp and strong not something sweet and elegant. At least that's how she felt about the two drinks. She took swigs from the vodka straight out of the bottle. She was drunk in record time, probably because she hadn't had anything to eat that day. She heard whoever it was at the door stir at the sounds she was making stumbling around.

"Rose?" Eddie called tentatively.

"Yes Eddie boy?" She laughed bitterly through the door.

"Rose! I was starting to think you'd never talk. Want to tell me what happened? If you don't want me to tell the others I won't," Eddie asked in a pretty casual way, probably not wanting to scare her off.

"Eddie, unfortunately there are some things that you guys are just better off not knowing. Let's just say my heart has been broken beyond repair and on top of Mason..." she let out a strangled sound "Let's just say I'm not having a great time and I need time to drown in my self-pity " she chuckled darkly, gritting her teeth at the memory of Mason.

"Rose … "he started sadly, she could practically feel the pity in his voice.

"Don't Eddie, Old Rosie will get through just fine" she giggled sadly. Damn this alcohol was making her laugh at herself far too much.

"Rose are you drunk!? " Eddie exclaimed suddenly catching on.

"Very much so" Rose laughed.

He sighed. They lapsed back into silence. Rose had taken to sitting on the other side of the door with her back against it, mirroring what Eddie was presumably doing on the other side.

* * *

A week later and Rose still hadn't left her room. She felt incredibly weak and she was terrified to let anyone see her like this. It was Christians shift outside her door tonight. Although Eddie had kept what she had told him just in between them, Christian still seemed to sense that Rose was hiding in her room because someone had hurt her.

Christian's reaction was the one that shocked Rose the most because they had always hated each other. Well jokingly obviously but they had never been exactly fond of each other. Yet here he sat now promising that whoever hurt her would pay and he would hunt them down personally and set them on fire.

He continually begged her to give him a name. She was surprisingly touched by this but still wouldn't talk to her friends. The whole situation filled her with shame. She felt cheap and used and she didn't want to talk about that to Lissa with her perfect life and perfect boyfriend. It made her jealous which in turn made her feel guiltier.

"Rose why can't you just tell me?" Christian sounded so broken and lost and she felt her heart opening up to him. She'd had retorts she'd desperately wanted to throw at him for the past 2 hours permanently stuck on the tip of her tongue that she'd managed to hold back but she couldn't help herself this time. She slumped against the wall right next to her door.

"Because" she breathed.

She heard a sharp intake of breath. "Because what?" Christian remarked in not the most sensitive way but then again he was Christian and wasn't exactly known for being sensitive. "Rose do you have any idea how much you are hurting everyone?" he said in an almost parental tone.

That sparked her anger. "Because you and Lissa have this perfect little life together and I'm jealous of it right now. Yes I've progressed in my self-pity to the stage of jealousy. I wish I had your life or Lissa's life but I don't and it hurts because my heart got fucking ripped out of me and stabbed repeatedly not just broken. And when I think about you and Lissa it hurts so much more because see what I want and what I can't ever have, don't you get it?" Rose spat venomously.

Christian sighed deeply. "I do rose" he said softly. "I'm so sorry, let me go kill the bastard who did this to you, please," he begged tenderly. She almost chocked as his concern for her, she felt so exposed, emotionally ripped into pieces and it felt damn nice to feel like someone cared.

"You know I can't" she whispered.

They spent the next 2 hours with him updating her about outside events until Adrian swapped places with him.

They murmured for a bit and then Adrian sat down.

"Little damphir, please, it hurts me deeply to know that you are in pain, let me in" he begged her like he always did.

Adrian's presence always hurt the most because he loved her in a different way to Lissa and Christian and even Eddie. His love was like the love she wished that Dimitri would give her. He said things she wished Dimitri would say. But he was gone and would never come back. She let out a strangled cry and Adrian gasped.

"Please don't cry my angel. I love you I can't stand to hear you cry. Please allow me to comfort you," Adrian begged from the other side of the door.

She was shaking violently and she felt like her chest was ripped open like a wound that opened up so that anyone looking could see her heart. Well, all they would see is emptiness since a certain someone ripped it out and took it with him, she though bitterly. She couldn't deal with this and she made her way blindly through her tears to the fridge and chugged down the wine and the last quarter of vodka left over from the first day.

She felt numbed and it felt so good. She could ignore the pain, it was still there but she didn't feel it so much that it consumed her. She could think clearly now. She could breathe without it hurting her too much. God she felt awful, she could hear Adrian whispering worried sentences and sniffing the air. Probably trying to make sure she wasn't hurting herself. If she did he'd smell the blood and probably break the door down. Until then though he'd let her keep her privacy but still beg to let him in.

"Oh my dear Little Damphir, drinking is not the way to solve it. I would know, I've been there and done that," Adrian sighed. What? How the hell…. Oh He could probably see the shift in her Aura, even though she was in the room, he could probably see her aura through the door or shining under the door.

"Yeh well, it's better than nothing" she slurred.

She head a pause and she realised she had finally talked to him. She was lying on the floor now in between her bed and the door. Not really wanting to move. She felt pretty low and dizzy. She felt pretty pathetic for stooping as low and to get drunk whenever it all became too much.

"Adrian, I can't breathe. I can't think. I can't even function. I… I don't know what to do. Not just about that but in general, with my life." She whispered, her voice beginning to shake at the end.

"My dear Little damphir, It's hard now but the pain will slowly subside, not completely but partially. I'll be here for you. Use me if you must. I will support any decision you make. I love you and I just want you to be happy so I can see my beautiful Little damphir's smile," he murmured through the door.

They lasped back into silence and after an hour and a half the alcohol started to wear off and all of Rose's ugly thoughts started to swim back into her head. She groaned and heard Adrian shift slightly against the door in concern. No, no, no, just a little more time of peacefulness, please, she begged of her brain.

She felt the familiar tightening of her chest and the constriction of her throat. Her chest started to burn again and her tears pooled in her eyes.

"Adrian, it's back. I can't.. I can't breathe, oh god. It hurts so much. I fucking hate love!" She yelled, thinking of Dimitri and Tasha, the easy way they spoke, the way she wished they could've spoken to each other. How he was probably giving her all the love and attention he had once given her only a taste of. She imagined him kissing her the way he had kissed her or worse, with even more love. She moaned in pain._ No, she thought, not that, don't think of that_.

"Use me, Rose, I'll numb the pain, I'll hold you and I won't tell anyone I promise," he begged her.

She reached blindly for the handle and opened it. Adrian tumbled in from where he'd been sitting leaning on the door. He jumped up at kneeled looking at her. He was still in shock that she'd actually let him in. He gently grabbed her and pulled her into his arms while he sat cross-legged on the floor. He rocked her slightly crooning sweet nothings into her ear and she let him because weirdly enough it did make her feel slightly better.

He put one hand out behind him and close the door and then turned back to her. He put his hands under her and picked her up as he stood up and walked to the bed. He then set her down gently and got in on the other side next to her. She immediately crawled back into his arms and he held her like he was afraid she'd disappear into thin air.

He looked at her with so much pain and empathy in his eyes that it made her cry more that she was not only hurting but hurting everyone else as well. _Goddamit why couldn't she catch a break_. Now she couldn't even let herself be unhappy because it made others that she loved unhappy. It was like a twisted circle that went round and round. She buried her head into his shoulder and her sobs became more pained and her body shook.

"Little Damphir, I understand, I do not pity you, I empathise with you," Adrian intoned into her ear. That's what she needed. Not someone who'd look at her with pity or sympathy but with empathy and understanding. He stroked her hair and kissed her hair and her forehead and her cheek, anything he could reach repeatedly. He repeated this routine over and over until she halted her sobs, her breath still shaky and looked up at him through her tear laden eyelashes.

"You are so beautiful, even when you cry," he whispered in hushed tones. She gave him a tiny smile and laid her head on his shoulder so she could keep looking at him. When she looked at him she could ignore the thoughts and darkness that threatened to swallow her. She could focus on the love that poured from his eyes and the little smiles he gave her and the little kisses he placed on her skin.

They didn't mean anything, they were friendly almost paternalistic reminders that she had someone. She could rely on him, use him, tell him everything and she didn't need to worry about anything else happening. He watched her for a few moments then leant down and kissed her nose softly.

"Sleep Little Damphir, you need it," he chuckled and winked at her. She huffed and closed her eyes. She felt him shift his body and her eyes flew open.

"No don't go!" she yelled, startling him," I mean, stay please" her voice cracked slightly at the end and he looked at her and sighed and settled down again.

"Of course Rose, anything for you." He finished as her head hit his shoulder and she fell asleep, her in his arms.


	2. Christians outburst

**Heyyya, hope you like it! Review and let me know about anything you want to happen or anything you want me to change and any spelling mistakes of Grammar errors that you pick up on :)**

She woke up much more rested and relaxed than she had in quite a while. She felt warm and something shift in her arms. She cracked open her eyes and smiled when she caught sight of Adrian. His face was close to hers, their noses almost touching and he looked so boyish and at peace when he was asleep. He was snoring slightly and she giggled inwardly at this discovery. She couldn't help how her heart felt a little bit lighter watching him and realising that with time she could have this happiness with him more.

She knew he had feelings for her, he always doted on her no matter how much she had rebuffed him when she was with Dimitri. She didn't want to start anything romantic so soon but she figured he was asleep so he wouldn't know and leant forward, closing the small distance and landed a light kiss on his nose. He wrinkled his nose and a crease appeared between his eyebrows. Then he sighed happily and went back to snoring.

She grinned and attempted to lightly disentangle herself his grip. She heard his snoring stop and heard him waking up. He snaked his arms back around her waist and pulled her back to the bed. "Morning beautiful," he said softly and she smiled.

"Morning sleepy ass," she teased still facing away from him.

"Are you.. okay?" he asked hesitantly. Surprisingly when she searched her own feelings she found that although there was still that suffocating pain lying just inches under the surface, she felt like those feelings were suppressed a lot more than they had been for a while. She could actually breathe and she felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Like she wasn't in this by herself anymore. She had finally opened up and let it out and her friends still supported her.

She could feel Lissa's slight hurt at the fact that Rose had had a love interest that she hadn't known about and that they had been so involved that Rose had broken down at his leaving and she was still a bit irritated she didn't know who this person was but she was glad that Rose had come out about it and she knew Rose was with Adrian as she had come to take over his shift and found him not there and had hear them talking in her room. She was happy that even if it wasn't her, Rose had someone.

Rose smiled at this realisation and turned to face Adrian, "I feel a heck of a lot better, thanks so much," she said genuinely. Adrian broke out in a full out smile and Rose stopped to appreciate the beauty of a real smile from Adrian.

"C'mon, time to get up. I have to go see Lissa," Rose said and disentangled herself once more. Adrian pouted at the fact that the moment had to end but followed her lead. She grabbed clothes to change into and headed for the bathroom. She got changed, brushed her teeth and tied half of her hair back and left half of it down, the way Lissa always said it looked good. And brushed on a tad of foundation and mascara as well as some blush since her face was still a bit pale and worn out from the past week she had been wallowing in self-pity. She then emerged and let Adrian take the bathroom. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed him check her out but didn't say anything.

He was done quickly and they left the room. Adrian said he was going to meet up with Eddie and hang out because that was the only guy he had really grown close to. For some reason Adrian and Christian didn't really get a long all that well.

Rose made her way to Lissa's room and knocked. Lissa opened it and grinned, caught rose in a bone breaking hug and steered her inside. Christian was inside but Lissa turned to him. "Girl time, out, out, out!" she yelled and Christian rolled his eyes and left. He winked at Rose just before leaving and closed the door behind him. _Uh, weird,_ thought Rose. Just because she had confessed her feelings to him did not mean he could wink at her that was just straight out weird.

She sat with Lissa and apologised over and over for not telling her anything about Dimitri. She told Lissa everything and cried a little and Lissa hugged her and stroked her hair and told her everything would be okay. Rose explained why she couldn't face her because she was jealous of her relationship and Lissa laughed at her. "Rose we fight all the time and sometimes they can get really ugly, I just mentally block you out so you don't get sucked into my head when they happen." Rose shocked just stared dumbfounded at her.

Lissa giggled and continued to talk about other things such as field experience and homework and normal tings which was the much needed break from emotional talk that Rose needed. Eventually Adrian came up and told them it was time for lunch as they had missed breakfast by waking up late. They made their way to the cafeteria and sat at the table with Christian, Mia and Eddie.

* * *

Eddie and Mia didn't bring up Rose's week long solitude in her room and neither did she. They acted like nothing had happened and Rose was glad of it. She had told Lissa she was free to tell Eddie and Mia about Dimitri and she really couldn't be bothered retelling it all the time and in doing so, reliving it.

She found out that during her lock up, Mia and Eddie had finally gotten together. Great, she though, more perfect couples to be surrounded by. Despite these thoughts though, Rose was genuinely happy for them as she had seen this coming for ages just like everyone else in the group.

She then went to the gym after lunch to train while Lissa sat with Eddie and Mia to fill them in on Rose's problems. Adrian followed her and claimed he wanted to watch the practice as he was contemplating starting to learn how to defend himself as he couldn't really do much damage with his magic being a spirit user and all.

She didn't mind really. Any other day she would have teased him and made him stay behind but his presence calmed her and made her feel better. She trained hard in the gym and was dripping sweat by the end of it. Running, sparring with Christian when he came around and she had been assisting him with training recently and had needed someone to spar with since Dimitri was gone. And she ran some laps and practiced staking dummies in the heart.

At the end she turned to Adrian and said she was going to take a shower. He was staring at her body the same way a predator might stalk his prey. With barely concealed excitement and impatience as well as a strange kind of lust. It was getting her all hot and bothered and she broke eye contact and headed for the showers. When she was done she changed into normal clothes again and left with Adrian trailing her again.

"Hey Adrian, "she said while walking back towards her room.

"Yes my Little Damphir," he responded calmly.

"I saw the way you were looking at me in the gym," she teased and then got serious, "You know I'm not comfortable with that, you guys gotta learn how to keep it in your pants," she laughed trying to let him know lightly that she wasn't that bothered by it but it was distracting and a bit unsettling for her right after Dimitri.

"Oh Rose don't tell me you don't notice other guys giving you those looks," he said rolling his eyes, "I thought you would be used to them after the way Sparky was looking at you practically drooling, " he hinted a bit jealously.

"What?!" she said stopping suddenly, causing him to walk straight past her and then backtrack.

"You know, sparky, Ozera?" he said in a confused voice as if she didn't understand who he was referring to.

"That's my best friends boyfriend, be careful about what you are implying because you know I can go and hurt him if he was checking me out when he was with Lissa" she hissed._ If Christian had been checking her out for real then she was about to get a whole lot more pissed because he shouldn't be checking anyone out, especially her of all people, when he had Lissa._

"I'm sorry Rose but he was checking you out, I didn't realise it was such a big deal. It probably means nothing, you are pretty hot, I mean everyone checks you out," Adrian said in a feeble attempt to defend Christian.

"Oh fuck no," Rose growled and spun around and stalked towards to male Moroi dorms. Adrian obviously knowing what was best for him, did not follow her.

* * *

She stormed up to Ozera's room and almost punched his door. She caught herself at the last moment. Took a deep breath and settled for knocking. _Adrian had to be wrong,_ she though. She hoped to god he was wrong or else she would loose it. Christian opened the door and seeing her he smirked.

He then looked her up and down and now that she was looking for it, she saw what Adrian saw. An echo of the look Adrian had given her in the gym. Obviously more concealed when he was in her line of sight where she could see his expressions but it was still there none the less. Oh god she wanted to hit him.

"Are you seriously checking me out Christian?" She said in a dangerously low and cold voice. He looked surprised and blushed.

"Is it a crime to check other girls out, it's not like I'm going to do anything," he shrugged. She was clenching her hands so tightly to retrain them for hitting his face that her nails were drawing blood from her palms.

"What about Lissa?" she said through clenched teeth. He sighed and pulled her inside, closing the door behind her. She thought she had heard movement behind her but the door closed straight after her and she dismissed it.

"Look," Christian said, " I love Lissa, she was my first for everything and I will always love her for that but, well, sometimes I can't help myself. I mean. She's so pure and good and all but that's the opposite of me. I crave for a darker, angrier, more passionate kind of sexual thing that she can't satisfy," he said while walking towards her.

She was shocked into silence at Christians little speech and was stumbling back away form him until she hit the wall. "But, Lissa's my best friend. You can't do that to her, you need to be honest if you like other girls-"

"I don't like other girls," Christian said, cutting her off. She gave him a puzzled look and he continued, "I like you," He stated and shoved himself against her.

"What the fuck get off me Christian," she yelped, frozen in pure shock and panic at his words.

"I know you want this Rose so shut up and we can pretend you argued or whatever," he mumbled before crashing his lips to hers and holding her in his iron grip. She struggled against him yelping and slapping at his arms not knowing what else to really do.

The door slammed open and Adrian stood in the door way looking at them in fury and disgust. Rose's heart clenched at his look as Christian jumped away from her.

"What the fuck!" Christian yelled at him, "What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?!" yelled Adrian at him, "Lissa is like my sister you disgusting piece of filth," he spat in revulsion.

"And you," he said pointing at her.

"This isn't what it looks like," she pleaded with him.

"I know Rose I followed you and listened at the door. I'm angry at him for trying to force himself on you. C'mon," he said, eyes softening as her eyes filled with tears.

"I knew you were low but I didn't know you were this low," he shot at Christian who was rooted to the spot with fury, worry and shock on his face.

Rose was wobbling so much that Adrian ended up picking her up and carrying her to her room. Lissa saw them on the way there and asked if Rose was okay and Adrian mumbled that someone had tried to force themselves on her and Lissa's eyes widened with shock and understanding and promised to talk to her later. Rose couldn't believe that Adrian didn't tell her it was Christian.

* * *

After they got back to her room and were cuddling on her bed she whispered to him, "Why didn't you tell Lissa that it was Christian?"

"Because, she won't believe us and even if she did believe her perfect Christian did force himself on you, she would hate us for showing her his real side. She wouldn't outwardly hate us but she was subconsciously hate us for alerting her to what he's really like because of the pain she will suffer when she finds out. Better to let her find out on her own."

Rose just nodded and fell asleep in his arms. Again. She slept all day. Sometimes she woke up and just thought with her eyes closed. Thought about Christians out burst and Adrian taking care of her and Lissa.

She decided she wanted to see where this could go. Her and Adrian. She had feelings for him she just wasn't sure what they were yet. She decided to tell him in the morning and fell back asleep in his arms.


	3. Not Lissa?

**Heyya new chapter! Warning, this will not be updated as frequently as this in the future, I have holidays so I can update quite frequently but in the future it will be a bit more of a wait and I am still waiting for reviews, please review, even a word. Especially hate! Hated helps me get better :)**

Rose started freaking out. She had pulled on her jeans to find that they were loose on her. "What the hell…," she muttered. She must have lost a lot of weight and that was bad because as a guardian it was critical that they maintained a healthy if not more heavier and muscly weight. She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She realised with a slight bit of shock that Adrian had been watching her from his post, leaning against the archway into the walk in closet. It didn't have a door. He smiled at her and she blushed a little despite herself.

A bit of the old Rose sparked inside her and she turned "Exactly what do you think you're doing pretty boy? Go wait out in the living room," she ordered. He grinned and walked off to her little sitting are of her dorm. She then quickly pulled a white t shirt with black little sleeves over her dark blue jeans and pulled on some black converse. She then walked into the bathroom where she brushed her teeth vigorously. She wanted her mouth clean in case Adrian happened to kiss her.

It wasn't really that she wanted to kiss him but knowing him he'd do it anyway. She sighed inwardly and combed her fingers into her hair tying it in a messy bun on the top of her head. She applied mascara and some blush and went to meet Adrian in the sitting area.

"Gosh I thought you'd a least make breakfast. Guys really are as useless as they say," she teased. He smile at her affectionately and took in her appearance.

"How can someone as gorgeous as you be so goddamn hungry all the time and keep in shape," he questioned raising one eyebrow. She just laughed and sat down on the couch. "Oh no, the reason I didn't make you breakfast is because we are going out to buy it so come on," he said grabbing her around her waist and flinging her over his shoulder.

"PUT BE DOWN ADRIAN," she squealed.

"Never, you need to eat, you haven't eaten properly in a while," he said in a stern voice and he walked with her like that all the way to the cafeteria.

After the initial laugh at how Adrian walked in with her, the rest of her friends settled down and started talking about random things such as classes. Meanwhile, Rose and Eddie discussed field experience and who they thought they were going to get. After basically inhaling her meal and half of Adrian's, Rose and Eddie stood up to walk to the gym where they would get assigned their Moroi to protect.

Adrian walked her and Eddie down and then gave her a hug for good luck and a weird guy hand slap thing that they do which Rose thought was absolutely ridiculous. They filed in and sat down. They called Eddie's name first. Alberta was the one calling out the names.

"Eddie Castille, your charge is…" Eddie squeezed Rose's hand and she squeezed it back. "Lisa Dragomir," Alberta finally said with a worried look shot at Rose. Rose just blanched and Eddie sighed but then shot her an apologetic look before walking to Alberta and grabbing his info pack. He then came and sat back down next to her.

"Rose I'm so sorry," said Eddie anxiously.

"I-I-It's not your f-fault," she stammered. "Oh fuck what if I get Jesse or something," she said freaking out.

"No!, I mean they wouldn't do that I'm sure," said Eddie who trailed off with a worried expression.

Finally Alberta called her name, "Rose Hathaway, you will be charged with the protection of…"

_Please, please god, please let it not be Jesse_, she prayed silently. "Christian Ozera!" she exclaimed, she moved on without a glance in Rose's direction. Rose went cold. _No, anyone but him_ she thought. _Even Jesse, just not him_!

Eddie shot her a miserable look. She tried to talk to Alberta later but she made it clear that no changes could be made. With tears in her eyes Rose ran to her room, locked the door and wallowed in her bad luck. About an hour later she heard movement outside her door. She was sniffling at this point, having already cried a little.

"Little Damphir, let me in. I talked to Eddie, he told me what happened," he said hesitantly.

She wobbled over to the door and opened it. He looked down at her and caught her in a hug. Then he pulled back and cupped her face with both of his hands and looked into her eyes. "My heart breaks to see you like this, I won't let anything happen to you Rose I promise" he said with pain. She nodded and sniffled.

She let him inside and closed the door. They laid on her bed for a while just talking about it and what they could do and what she could do. "Rose, you are still a bad ass guardian. I know he took you by surprise last time but seriously, you could beat him to a pulp. No one can best Hathaway," he said with a smile.

She realised he was right. She was a bad ass. She was strong. She had trained with Dimitri and had been one of the best students in her year. She could easily take Christian. She had been shocked before but honestly, she could easily overpower him and hurt him if he ever touched her again. She smiled up at him. "It's only early afternoon Little Damphir, do you want to eat?" She grinned. Eating was her favourite activity.

* * *

"What do you mean you aren't my guardian!?" Lissa exclaimed, dropping her cup on the table very loudly.

"Exactly what I said, I got fucking Ozera," she muttered the last part. Christian was very void of any facial expression but she could see the smirk that was lying right under the surface. When Lissa turned to him he was quick to fix a disgusted look on his face. Lissa giggled then.

"I have to admit it will be pretty funny seeing how you too get a long," she said. Rose glanced at Adrian and he gave her the same awkward and uncomfortable look back. After they finished eating Rose started her field experience. She followed Christian. Luckily the class he had was with Lissa so she could hang at the back. They were bored so they started to have whispered conversation about random things.

Finally when class was over and she could finally leave the annoying Stan behind she realised the next class Christian had was not with Lissa. She followed him in silence afraid that if she said something Christian would say something about the other night but she was also worried that if she said nothing then he would bring it up herself.

Eventually she asked him, "What class do you have now?" She said it rather bluntly and a little bit more aggressively than necessary.

"Culinary science," he said smiling slightly at her reaction.

"OF ALL SUBJECTS, REALLY?" She groaned.

"It's not as bad as you think Rose, I'm an amazing cook," he grinned at her. She just slapped his arm and made retching sounds and he laughed. It was basically back to how their relationship usually was and Rose didn't want to disturb this moment. She walked into class with him and stood behind his station. He didn't have a partner and that was the way Christian obviously liked it. He cooked something meaty that smelt delicious and Rose couldn't contain her amazement when she leant over and looked at his finished plate.

After he presented it to the teacher and she marked it, Rose was allowed to have half. It was a sort of steak meat marinated in delicious looking herbs and spice that he wrapped in a sort of tortilla looking bread with red onions topping it. Her mouth watered and she moaned when she tasted it.

Christian laughed at her but she saw a flash of emotion in his eyes but it was too quick to catch. Afraid that it was the same one from the other day she got awkward and quiet and suggested they head to the cafeteria for dinner. Christian sat next to her as they waited for the others to join them.

Lissa looked slightly surprised to see Christian sitting across from her next to Rose and gave Rose a questioning look to which Rose just shrugged, conveying that she had less of an idea than Lissa as to what compelled Christian to choose to sit next to Rose instead of Lissa. This was a lie and Rose felt extremely guilty for it. She knew exactly why Christian was sitting next to her. Under the table he laid a hand on her thigh. Adrian, who was sitting on the other side of Rose gave her a hard look when he noticed. Rose stiffened. She smile sickeningly sweet at Christian who grinned thinking he had won.

Straight after they started eating and when everyone was distracted by their food, Rose reached a hand under the table and laid it on top of Christians. Adrian who had been stiff the whole time was now shooting Rose an incredulous look. She wrapped her hand around his and started to squeeze.

In the beginning Christian smiled smugly, after Rose started to apply more pressure he shifted uncomfortably. Eventually she was crushing his bones and Christian had a pained expression on his face, Lissa was too busy talking to Eddie to notice and Adrian, catching on to what Rose was doing shot Christian a smirk.

Eventually she felt one of his fingers getting close to breaking point and Christian let out a yelp. Lissa and Eddie both looked over. "Idiot, slow down on your soup, you burnt your tongue again," Rose smirked, mocking him. She let go of his hand as Lissa and Eddie laughed but Adrian gave her a knowing look. _That's my girl,_ his eyes seemed to say.

"Hey do you mind if I sleep with Adrian tonight Christian, you won't tell will you? I mean it's been really hard since Dimitri… since he left," she finished, totally pulling off the act. She didn't need to try very hard as Dimitri was actually a very difficult subject for her to talk about.

Lissa shot him a look as if to say that he would be a monster to deny her time with Adrian. "I guess so," he muttered out angrily.

Rose hid her grin pretty well but Adrian saw her lips twist weirdly and knew she wanted to smile. He grinned at her and grabbed her hand. Everyone bade their goodnights and headed to their dorms.

* * *

Rose entered Adrian's and flipped onto the couch.

"Christians going to really get me back for that," she said a bit fearful. Half of her was saying; yeh bring it on! But the other half was saying; avoid anything that will antagonise him, that's Lissa's boyfriend after all!

"Little damphir, I know how you feel but what you did was exactly what I wanted you to do. You let him know that you wouldn't tell Lissa or alert her to his actions because in the end of the day she is your best friend and you don't want to hurt her, but at the same time you also let him know that you weren't taking any of his crap either," he sighed proudly.

Rose yawned and Adrian came and sat on the couch next to her. She instantly snuggled to him. "I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now Adrian," she said slightly nervously. He gave her a confused look but smiled at her to continue. "Well, I want you to know that um… "She trailed off searching for the right words.

She looked at him. His eyes were so beautiful. Especially now, full of concern and love for her. She focused on his eyes and continued. "I want you to know that although Dimitri was the love of my life at one point, he hurt me so badly that I don't think I can ever love him the way I once did. In fact it was a different love to the love I want or am developing. It was instantaneous and overwhelming and hard, we didn't know each other well enough, we didn't know each other's souls. With you I feel that I am learning about who you are, I am exploring every little crevice in your soul and falling more in love with it every day. I know I'm damaged goods and that I'll never be whole or a perfect version of me as I once was but I want to love you with what's left of my heart if you'll let me. I guess what I'm saying it that I want to give us a try…" she trailed off embarrassed that she had gone on for so long and said such cliché things and she let her gaze drop and blushed a deep red.

"Oh Rose," he breathed unevenly, he tucked a finger under her chin he tilted her face up to his. "I have loved you ever since I met you. With all my heart. I will love you until the end of time, I know this for a fact. So unfortunately you are stuck with me because I'm never leaving your side. I vow to be whatever you need be to be, a brother, a friend, a lover. I am at your disposal my Little Damphir," he purred into her ear and then kissed her just under her ear. Then her jaw, the corner of her mouth, he looked at her for permission which she gave before he kissed her lightly on the lips.

It was passionate but not hard, forceful or animalistic like Dimitri's often were. This didn't feel sexual. It was just pure love that Adrian somehow found a way to convey through actions instead of words. He sucked on her bottom lip and she moaned very lightly. Too lightly for him to hear which she was grateful for. Her insides were melting and her heart felt like it had swelled to double the size. His tongue flicked out a lightly tasting her bottom lip. He ran it across where her two lips met. She took this as a request to which she granted. She opened her mouth and her tongue met his. Again it was light and lovingly. It was soft and sweet as if they both wanted to savour the kiss not rush it. One of his hands travelled into her hair and the other cupped her cheek. The kiss seemed to say,_ I love you, I need you, I wan't you, don't leave me, I'm here for you, I'll protect you, etc._

Eventually they pulled apart and Rose stared at him in amazement as he looked at her lips before eventually meeting her gaze. His cheeks were flushed as she imagined hers were. He suddenly picked her up and waked with her bridal style to the bed. She giggled and he smiled at her. His genuine smiles took her breath away.

He threw her onto the bed playfully and tugged off her jeans. She had a slight moment of panic thinking he was expecting sex but he left her in her t-shirt, bra and panties as he pulled off his t-shirt, leaving him in his sweat pants. He slid in behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

It was the best feeling she had to admit. She breathed better with his arms around her. She felt invincible in those arms. She has never had a dad or mom that held her like this when she was a kid. She had never stayed with a boy before. She had never experienced this simple act that made her feel protected from the world. She felt a few tears fall silently but they were from happiness not from sadness. She felt Adrian slowly fall asleep behind her. His arms tightened unconsciously around her and she smiled.

She eventually fell asleep only to get sucked into one with Adrian. Of course she thought to herself happily. She spent her whole night with him on a random beach just eating and talking. Eventually though it was time to wake up and face the world.

* * *

Adrian smiled at her when she woke up like he always did. They had been doing this for around a week now. She loved waking up to his face just to find him smiling at her. "Creep," she teased, "watching me sleep," she chuckled. He rolled his eyes at her and shoved her. She shoved him back and they found themselves play fighting. She had him pinned easily.

"Hmm, I think I like dominant Rose," he purred at her raising an eyebrow.

She remembered that she was only wearing a t-shirt and her underclothes and blushed slightly but grinned at him. "Ha-ha, you wish," she teased and got up.

"I do, I really do," he said longingly. She just laughed and walked into the closet and pulled on one of Adrian's t shirts and her leggings. It looks like a dress shirt and no one would notice. He smiled at her when he saw what's she was wearing.

"Another day with the Satan off spring," Rose sighed thinking about how Christian would annoy her today. Every day that week he tried to come onto her or annoy the living shit out of her. One or the other. She kept all her things in his room even though she slept with Adrian. Technically she should be sleeping in Christian's room but she didn't trust him and really didn't want to have to break his nose.

She could not wait till this stupid assignment was over and she could get her promise mark. She thought of the other tattoos that already covered her neck. If only Mason was here to get his promise mark too. He was so excited about it. Her heart hurt thinking about Mason but she knew he had gone to a better place. Even so she wished he could be with her right now. _He deserved this,_ she thought. Not her.

_I will try to be strong for you_ she thought. For Mason she would try to get through this. She would get her promise mark no matter how badly Ozera tried to ruin it for her.

* * *

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